text: The earliest known use of venom in medicine dates back to 380 B.C. in ancient Greece. Aristotle's "Historia Animalium", describes how venom can be used in the production of antidotes for the venom. During the height of the Roman empire, there is evidence of venom being added into medicine used to treat smallpox, leprosy, fever, and wounds. Despite this, early uses of venom were primarily involved in the process of making antidotes. This use of venom continued into the Middle Ages and well into the 19th century. The first modern study of venom in a medical light occurred in the late 19th century. A scientist, Albert Calmatte, injected animals with small amounts of venom, using their blood as the antidote.